What was the announcement?
On 1st October 2020 the Government announced that the public sector can now bid for two new funds to deliver energy efficiency and heat decarbonisation measures:
The funds are worth up to £1billion. One is for capital works and one is to pay for technical support to enable energy strategies to be developed and delivered.
What is the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme?
The Grant Scheme will offer £1bn of grant funding which will be available for capital energy efficiency and heat decarbonisation projects within public sector non-domestic buildings.
The scheme allows schools and Trusts to apply for a grant to finance up to 100% of the costs of capital energy-saving projects that meet the scheme criteria.
What is the Public Sector Low Carbon Skills Fund?
The Public Sector Low Carbon Skills Fund will provide grants to help all eligible public sector bodies to source specialist and expert advice to identify and develop energy efficiency and low carbon heat upgrade projects for non-domestic buildings, before preparing robust and effective applications to the Grant Scheme.
How is this different to the Salix Energy Efficiency Scheme (SEEF)?
The scheme is grant funding not a loan. The scheme has different criteria and requirements to the existing Salix Energy Efficiency Loan Scheme which will continue. Salix is now a government agency under the direction of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).
What are the timescales?
In a nutshell, very tight! Applications are open now.
The deadline for Schools and Trusts is Monday 11 January 2021.
Projects should aim to be completed by 31 March 2021 if possible and by 30 September 2021 at the latest.
What do I do next?
Contact us if you would like support with your application.
Follow the links below to view the full scheme guidance from Salix.
Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme Guidance
Public Sector Low Carbon Skills Fund Guidance
Salix’s workshop can be viewed HERE
